Getting By
by PiratePrincess29
Summary: Mr. T and Mrs. Lovett have just put their little plan to action but the barber is finding himself focusing less on revenge and more and more on a certain baker. But he won't forget his wife, no. Never. But never IS a strong word... Sweenett
1. Never Like Her

**A/N: Yay, my first Sweeney Todd fic! I hope you guys like it, but feel free to tell me I'm out of my element here! PLEASE REVIEW! ******

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet**

**To Clear Things Up:** _**Bold Italics are songs; **_**Takes place after business starts heating up in Mrs. Lovett's pie shop with Mr. Todd practicing his revenge that he will soon have on the judge.**

Mrs. Lovett hated lying to Mr. Todd but she had no choice. That bloody beggar woman Lucy, who wasn't even _his_ Lucy, had been poking around near the shop and she did not want her lie blowing up in her face. No, Mr. Todd could _not_ find out about Lucy. 

About how she sold herself on the streets. About how she abandoned her child. Their child. 

Mr. Todd had said he needed Mrs. Lovett in his life… but perhaps it was because she kept his secret. After all, he was always so cruel and cold to her. But he was like that to everyone. But _especially_ to her. Perhaps that was a good thing… he didn't act indifferently towards her, but rather more emotionally towards her. 

Once again, she was going upstairs to bring her darling Mr. T some food and, though he never ate it, it was an opportunity for her to see him. 

When she walked in, she caught him sitting in his own barber's chair looking at that wretched picture of his girls. She could understand his grief over Johanna, the lovely little girl Mrs. Lovett had the pleasure to take care of when Lucy had first gone barking mad. But she could not understand how he could still be mourning that wretched, good-for-nothing woman who only _acted_ angelic to get Benjamin Barker's attention. She had acted so innocent back then… 

But she was far from innocent. She was selfish, and cunning, and devious. But mostly selfish. She cared for no one but herself. Now, she was crazy. And she deserved her fate of begging in the streets. 

Mrs. Lovett had always been herself around Benjamin and, even with his rather drastic changes as Mr. T, she stood by him. She stuck by his side. He just never noticed because he was too caught up in _Lucy_ this, _Lucy_ that. Judge Turpin, the Beadle. 

Never Mrs. Lovett. And _never_ Nellie. Because she didn't have yellow hair like his _precious_ Lucy. Putting on a cheery cheerful smile, she placed the tray of food on the table and looked at him, concernedly. 

"Mr. T? Are you alright?"

"Yes, Mrs. Lovett."

"Can I tell you something, Love? Something personal?"

"Of course, Mrs. Lovett." He said in his usual, annoyed tone of voice.

"Let 'em go." She said nonchalantly 

"What?"

"Well, let _'er_ go. Johanna's still alive, you can still get _'er_ back… but Lu… your wife's gone, Mr. T. She's _gone_. Perhaps it's best you just let 'er go. Stop worryin' yourself like this. It's not healthy, it's not."

"I don't believe I asked you, Mrs. Lovett, who I should worry about."

"Do ye worry 'bout _me_?"

"No." he said coldly.

She blinked a few times, and held back the tears, for she was a strong woman. Unlike that damn Lucy, who cried day and night, unable to control her bloody self. 

Mrs. Lovett walked to his box of razors and grabbed the largest one, his best friend. She held it to her neck, threateningly, and looked him in the eye. It took him a minute to process what was happening but then he jumped out of his chair and looked at her, worriedly.

"What are you doing?" he shouted. 

"If ye don't care 'bout me, ye shouldn't worry." She spit back, coldly. 

"Mrs. Lovett, put it down." He ordered.

"No. I mean nothin' to ye. All I'm good for s'keepin' secrets and makin' pies, isn't it? Well, ye can do that on yer own, I gather." 

"Mrs. Lovett… don't…"

"Why not? Yer Lucy did! And ye think of 'er more than ye do of me. And I'm here, Mr. T! I'm right here, I've _always_ been right here! So maybe… maybe if I'm gone, ye'll think of me. Ye'll look at a picture of _me_ day in and day out, wishin' ye could've done somethin' to stop _me_, to protect _me_. Or maybe… ye'll just rejoice that I'm out of your life."

"Nellie…" he said, immediately regretting it. He never called her that. Never.

"What did you just say?"

"Nellie. Don't do it. I would miss… you. I would." He muttered awkwardly. 

Mrs. Lovett put the razor down, gave him a triumphant smile and went down again, leaving him speechless. 

_He'll be thinkin' of me, yet_, she thought to herself. But then his thoughts would go back to Lucy. If only he knew how the arsenic had made her crazy. She didn't even remember who she was, that she had a daughter and husband. She didn't remember anything. And it was time Mr. T forgot as well. Or at least, moved on. 

Mr. Todd looked back at Lucy and Johanna's picture and, surprisingly, felt less pain than he had when Mrs. Lovett threatened to take her life. He really did care for her… not that he would admit it, though. Bloody woman would run around the entire city, shouting it to the world. 

Those thoughts made him feel like he was betraying his Lucy. He tried to remember her smile, her eyes, something. _Anything_. But he found he couldn't. 

Mrs. Lovett's features always seemed to find a way into his mind before he could picture it clearly. And when he thought of her, he almost forgot about revenge and blood and the bloody judge. _Almost_. 

How he hated the bloody woman, for entering his thoughts, taking Lucy's place in his mind. He would never let that happen. 

With that, Mr. Todd did something he had never done in the time he had been back. He ate Mrs. Lovett's food. 

Reluctantly, he brought down the tray into her shop and set it on the table, making a clanking noise that startled Mrs. Lovett who was cleaning up after a busy day in her pie shop.

"Oi! Oh, it's jus' you, Mr. T. Had me worried there, for a moment. What's goin' on?"

"It was delicious, Mrs. Lovett." He said, monotone, avoiding eye contact.

She frowned when he called her by her last name. She thought she had made progress with him, but perhaps she got too carried away. Then she remembered what he was talking about. He ate the food! _Her_ food that _she_ had made for _him_.

"You ate! Goodness, Mr. T, now that's a bloody miracle." She said, cheerfully.

He just muttered something of indifference and started to leave the shop when Mrs. Lovett put her hand on his shoulder, which he quickly shoved off.

"What is it?" he asked, harshly.

"Well, Mr. T, I… wanted to say I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For that little stunt up there. I didn't mean it, I didn't. I jus' wanted to see if ye cared, s'all."

"And what conclusion did you come to, Mrs. Lovett?"

"That I'll never be as important as _her_." She muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothin', Love. I'm just tired. Maybe ye could get some sleep as well, instead of pacin' up there _all_ night."

"You never answered the question."

"What question?" she asked, stalling in whatever way she could, to keep him down there with her, even if for just a moment longer.

Her response sparked something in him and, within seconds, he had her pinned up against the wall, his breath hot on her cool, now rosy cheek. Sure, it wasn't under the most 

romantic of circumstances, but his body was pressed to hers, making her feel positively wonderful. Fear did not once cross her mind as he menacingly stared her down. 

All she could think about was their closeness. And the fact that he was careful not to clam her head into the wall did not go unnoticed. 

"Don't play games with me, my pet." He growled, huskily. 

"I…" she began.

"I don't know what you think you're doing, but keep it up, Mrs. Lovett, and you may end up on your very own menu."

"Sorry, Mr. T. Jus' tryin' to lighten the mood."

"Oh, believe me. The mood will be lightened once Turpin's gone. That's all that matters to me."

"Of course, Mr. T." she said, sadly.

Without a word, he left the shop and went back upstairs. She looked at the door, pensively, and, with a single tear rolling down her cheek, she whispered softly.

"Goodnight, Mr. T. Sweet dreams, my love."

Mr. T couldn't hear, but little Toby did. And he walked in, walking straight to Mrs. Lovett, who gave him a tight hug.

"Toby, Dear, what are _you_ doin' up? You should be sleepin', don't you know."

"I know, Mum. But I heard voices."

"Voices? Oh well, that was jus' Mr. T and I."

"You really like him, don't you, Mum?"

"Well, I… of course I do, Love. He's a good… friend."

"But you want him to be more, right?"

"That's _enough_ now, Toby. Mr. T and I are _just_ friends. Go back to sleep."

Defeated, Toby went back to his room and back to sleep. 

"Just friends." Mrs. Lovett scoffed to herself, ironically, as she cleaned the dishes. "S'all we are, s'all we'll ever be."

Meanwhile, Mr. T was upstairs, cleaning his razors. He _would_ get Judge Turpin, one way or another. And he would set free his Johanna. All of the day's careful planning resulted in unwanted fatigue and Mr. T went to his makeshift bed and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

And he dreamed… of _her_.

_Mr. T walked over to her and brushed the hair from her face. Her beautiful, timeless face. She smiled and leaned into his touch, teasing him with her big, brown eyes. Oh, how she was beautiful. And Lucy _was_ beautiful. _

_Then, Judge Turpin came and grabbed her, beginning to take her away. He was about to go get her back when he heard another scream coming from behind him. He turned around and saw the now deceased Albert Lovett hitting Mrs. Lovett, dragging _her_ away, hurting her. _

_He looked left at Lucy and right at Mrs. Lovett. He was faced with a choice. Who to save? Who to save? His mind said to go save Lucy. But his heart said something different. _

_His heart said to save the poor woman in the tattered black dress with those dark, alluring eyes. That woman, such a mess. _

_Determinedly, he ran after Mrs. Lovett, took out his razor, and killed her husband, taking her into his arms. The arms in which she shook and cried. He had never seen her cry before._

"_It's alright, Mrs. Lovett. I'm here."_

"_Oh, Mr. T! Thank you so much. Ye've no idea how scared I was."_

_Then, he saw Lucy staring at him with a tear-stained face. She took a bottle and drank it in front of him. Arsenic. But before she fell back into a deep, black abyss, she uttered the words that caused him to awake in a sweat._

"_It's your fault. You betrayed me. You betrayed us!"_

Mr. T woke up, breathing heavily, and just seconds later noticed that it was already morning. He got out of his bed and looked into the broken mirror in his room. 

"What have I done?" he said to himself.

He remembered Lucy's words… how could he have chosen Mrs. Lovett over his _wife_? His darling wife, Lucy. _How?_ It was just a dream, but that didn't matter. In _any_ instance, he was supposed to pick Lucy. No matter what. 

_Lucy_ was his wife, the one he loved. _Not_ Mrs. Lovett. And he would not let that wretched woman take Lucy's place. 

So, he was determined to not talk to her all day. Or, at least ignore her as much as possible. Which would prove to be very difficult, especially since she had just knocked on the door that very second. 

He hesitantly opened it up and she gave him a huge smile.

__

"_**Mornin', Mr. T! Up late today, I see. Can't believe you slept. First time, ye haven't wept. I'm so proud of ye. Breakfast is read-y. Won't you come down, take off that frown, and have some with me." **_

"_**Afraid I must decline. I've lost track of time. Eating now won't make the judge mine. So just go back down to the shop. Find something to mop. I'll be staying up here while you stop… smiling ear to ear."**_

"Alright, then. Thought I'd check, though, Love. You got a bit of yer color back after ye ate yesterday. Might be somethin' ye try every now and again."

"Of course, Mrs. Lovett." He said, shutting the door in her face.

Yes, avoiding her the rest of the day would be very difficult. But not impossible…

**A/N: Stay tuned for Chapter 2 which, hopefully, will be up very soon! **


	2. Who's Ring?

A/N: Hey, thanks for reviewing! Here we go!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Spoiler: Songs are in _**bold italics; **_cliffie at the end, don't hate me!

**Ch. 2**

While cooking her pies, Toby came into kitchen and pulled on her arm, demanding attention.

"What is it, Love?"

"Who's Lucy, Mum?"

Mrs. Lovett's widened.

"Where did ye 'ear that name, Dearie?"

"I 'eard you talkin' to Mr. T 'bout 'er. 'Bout 'ow she's gone, and all."

"She was a silly little nit, s'what she was. Now, don't ye go repeatin' that to Mr. T. Why e'd have my head if he 'eard that."

"Sure, Mum!"

Mrs. Lovett continued making the pies while Toby served the customers. But she was doing it with a frown because her day had been soiled to do having said that wretched woman's name again.

_Bloody Lucy. Bloody weak girl, she was. _

"_**There was a baker and her friend. Though he was wonderful. A silly baker and her friend. And he was blind. He never read her mind. How she loved him. And then he went away but came back one day. Her hope was born again but soon came to an end. When he men-tioned… her name." She sang sadly.**_

At that moment, Mr. T was upstairs thinking of how he was going to avoid Mrs. Lovett. He _could_ stay up all day but then she would get worried, the concerned little thing she was, and come up to check on him, therefore ruining the whole avoidance plan.

Soon enough, though, he realized that, once again, his thoughts were concerning _her_ and _not_ the task at hand. He looked at the picture of his wife and Johanna and the need for vengeance quickly returned. He didn't care about Mrs. Lovett. So he did not have to avoid her because there was no way that she would be of higher importance than avenging his poor Lucy's death.

He was starting to get hungry and decided to go down.

Once he reached the bottom of the steps, the beggar woman accidentally bumped into him, causing him to nearly fall over.

"Watch where you're going!" he bellowed.

"Sorry, Sir. Jus' lookin' for some spare change. Anythin' to give to a poor lady like me?"

He looked at her hair, flowing in the wind just barely seen under her bonnet. It was yellow. It was yellow like… _Lucy's_. He needed to get away.

"Go. Don't come back to this street again." He said, pushing her aside as she walked away from him.

Then, he heard a clanking noise on the ground and looked down to see a golden ring. Thinking Mrs. Lovett, _damn_ _her for being in his thoughts again,_ might like to sell it, he picked it up and looked at it closely. There, inscribed in fancy letters, was L.B. that stood for… Lucy Barker. Taken aback, he ran to the beggar woman and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her violently.

"What are ye doin', sir? Ye 'ave to pay for that, don't ye know!"

"Where did you get this ring?"

"I've always 'ad it."

"It was my wife's… how did you get it?"

"I don't remember. Now let me go, unless ye plan on payin'."

Frustrated, he let her go and went to Mrs. Lovett's shop.

"'Ello, Mr. T. Come to have somethin' to eat, eh?"

He threw the ring onto the counter and she eyed it excitedly. _By gosh, he's goin' to propose!_

"What's this now, Mr. T? Isn't it too soon?"

"Too soon for _what_?" he asked, coldly.

"Oh… never mind. What is that, then?"

"It's her ring, Mrs. Lovett."

"'Er ring? Who's ring?"

"Lucy's."


	3. Better

**A/N: Hey, thanks for all your support and reviews but, sadly, this story is over. Last chappie… I know, it's short, but hey… it's longer than the one-shot I had initially planned it to be! ) **

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street**

**Spoiler: Happy endings! – **_**Bold italics**_** are songs**

**Ch. 3**

_That insignificant name again!_ She paled a bit and her breath quickened. _No, no, Please no._ She tried to regain her composure and feign ignorance.

"Where'd you find that, I wonder." She said, her voice, surprisingly, unwavering.

"That beggar woman who keeps coming by here had it. She… dropped it. Says she's _always_ had it. Now why is that, Mrs. Lovett?"

"My guess is s'good as yours, Mr. T."

"My Lucy wouldn't have taken it off. She would have died with it, you know that. Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Not that I know of, Mr. T…"

Without warning, he took out his razor, grabbed her by the neck, and held her in place with his free arm, nearly choking her.

"Are you _sure_, Mrs. Lovett? Because I think you lied to me, my dear. I think… you have something very important to tell me, Mrs. Lovett. This is your last chance."

"Mr. T, please. Let me explain…"

"So she _is_ alive! When did you plan on telling me?" he shouted, holding her neck tighter, the blade just hairs away from piercing her neck

But he held his hand steady. At least, he would. Until he found out where his Lucy was.

"She's not the same anymore. The arsenic made her go crazy, it did. She doesn't remember 'er own name, much less you, who's been gone for so long. She won't even recognize you!"

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"I'll take ye to 'er. Jus'… let me go, first."

"Oh no, you don't. Tell me where she is, or I kill you where you stand."

"I thought ye cared about me." She whispered.

"Not anymore. You lied to me about my wife. There _is_ no forgiveness for that." He spit at her, venom dripping from his husky voice.

"She's that woman what's been hanging around 'ere lately."

"That's just a filthy beggar. Tell the truth, Mrs. Lovett!"

"I am! _Your_ Lucy died a long time ago, Mr. Todd. Along with Benjamin, she did. I did it to protect ye. Didn't want you to see how she's become a poor beggar in the streets, 

sellin' 'er virtue for measly alms. She doesn't know you. Ye can go see for yourself. Though the years _'ave_ changed 'er quite a bit…"

"Quiet." He ordered.

He dragged her by the arm into the kitchen, shoved her inside, and locked the door telling her that he'd be back to deal with her later.

Swiftly, he left the shop and went to look for the beggar woman who was conveniently just down the corner. He walked up to her and she twirled her yellow hair. _Like Lucy's_, he remembered. She smiled.

"Changed yer mind, did ye, Sir? Lookin' for some fun?"

"Lucy? Is that you, my love?"

"Who are you?"

He didn't answer. He simply took off her bonnet and looked into her eyes and saw that Mrs. Lovett wasn't lying. She may have, at one point, been his Lucy but now, she was just a street-dweller. Oblivious as to who he was and what they once had. Ironic, because that had been the only thing that never left his mind. He stroked her cheek, lovingly.

"You'll need to pay up."

"Lucy… don't you know me?"  
"No, but I could…. If ye pay up." She said through gritted teeth.

"Lucy…"

"Why are ye callin' me Lucy? How do ye know me?"

"It's me, Lucy. It's Benjamin."

"Well, Benjamin. Benny… what can I do for ye?"

"You don't remember me…"

"I've never met ye. S'different. Can't remember someone ye ain't met before, right?"

"You're not my Lucy…"

"I could be…"

"Lucy _is_ dead."

With that, he turned around and went back to the pie shop and opened the door to the kitchen only to see Mrs. Lovett with tears down her face, fear evident in her eyes.

"If you're goin' to do it, at least don't let the boy see. Poor thing's been through quite enough."

"Mrs. Lovett…" he began.

"Oh, and find 'im a good home. Perhaps with ye, 'er, and Johanna. I think he'd like to have a big sister."

"Mrs. Lovett…" he tried again, but this time with no murderous look in his eyes, no hate.

"And please don't put me in me own pies. That's just cruel. 'Sides, I doubt I'd taste good. And… before ye do it, if ye've got any of ol' Benjamin in you, tell me ye forgive me. I did it 'cause I love you, Mr. T. I always 'ave. Even when you were Benjamin Barker. And I tried to 'elp her, Mr. T, I did. I showed 'er pictures, told 'er stories. But nothin' 

worked, you see. She was just barkin' mad. Nothin' I could do to stop it. Even offered 'er a place to stay, but she said no. So, no. I'm not sorry I did it. I did it to protect ye, Mr. T. And I don't regret it, I don't."

"Mrs. Lovett…"

"And one more thing…"

"If you keep interrupting me, Nellie, I may very well kill you for that and that alone."

That shut her up good.

"Go on." She said, hopefully.

"I'm not going to hurt you Mrs. Lovett."

"You're not." She said, skeptically.

"No. I saw her. You were right… She's changed. She might as well be dead. Didn't even recognize me. Was only interested in money."

"I see… I'm sorry you 'ad to find out like this, Love. I never meant for ye to find out _at_ _all_. Ye'd kill the judge and everything would be back to normal again. And, like I said, we could 'ave had a life. We'd have gotten by."

"I… forgive you, Mrs. Lovett."

"Really, Mr. T?"

"Yes." He said, while pulling her close to him.

"Yes." He whispered before giving her a passionate, fiery kiss that sent chills down her spine. Reluctantly, she pulled away, and looked at him strangely.

"What about… _'er_?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Her? Lucy? Well, my pet… _**Benjamin Barker loved a woman named Lu-cy. Then he went to prison, where it was hot and smelly. He came back changed, that's the truth, you-see. Now Sweeney Todd loves a woman named Nellie. He didn't want to say it. He thought he would betray it. But now he's free. To live with her… by the sea."**_

"Oh, do ye mean it, Mr. T?"

"Yes, Darling. I mean it, Nellie."

"Oh, I love you, Mr. T."

"I love you too, Nellie." He said, smiling for the first time in 15 years.

He hugged her close and gave her another kiss. And it felt wonderful. Not _at_ _all_ like he remembered, though.

And he realized that it really wasn't like he remembered.

It was better.


End file.
